The present invention relates generally to displays and projectors and more specifically to an image display and projection technology that transcends limitations of mono-technologies and use the strengths of best-in-breed methods for each desired image display and projection characteristic.
In the field of image display and projection technologies limitations have been revealed in all existing mono-technologies which prevent them from implementing the next generation of hi-speed, low cost, low power, flexible, wearable, and dimensional display forms.
A shared limitation arises from the general reliance on a single pixel-switching component technology to implement the entire image-generation architecture, as typically any one pixel-switching component technology, whether a liquid crystal (LC) cell or gas plasma cell, a digital micro-mirror device (DMD), a magneto-optic (MO) switch, or an organic light emitting diode (OLED), excels in one or more but not all aspects of desired image display functionality.
There is currently no unitary image generation technology that is optimized for all image display characteristics.
For instance, LC has advantages in scaling of the image-array size and image resolution size, so that it can be manufactured in sizes ranging from 100 inch panels to a 4000×2000 line liquid crystal on silicon array that is a few centimeters a side. But LC is heat intolerant and relatively color-band unstable, requires a complex and rigid substrate structure, and is relatively slow-switching (even the fastest, ferroelectric liquid crystal on silicon (FLCoS), is slower than a DMD)—too slow to support optimal dimensional image generation (including stereoscopic and holographic).
DMD, on the other hand, along with other MEMS image array and spatial-light modulator technologies, face yield problems in resolution sizes greater than hi-definition television (2 k×1 k lines of resolution) or the DCI 2 k×1 k standard. And, while being relatively more color-stable than LC's, DMD's are relatively heat-intolerant, and while faster-switching than LC, are still not fast enough to support comfortable, bright dimensional display and projection images. More importantly, DMD (or Gradient Light Valve™ or Qualcomm Display's IMOD) technologies do not scale much beyond computer chip or handheld display array sizes, due to yield limitations and limitations on upscaling the pixel switch size to the larger pixel dimensions required for larger area displays.
Gas Plasma, another dominant display type, has limitations in yield, and can only be cost-effectively manufactured at sizes between about 40″ and 80″. Switching speed also limits its utility for desired dimensional display solutions.
OLED, assuming that materials' lifetimes in the blue range can be extended, excels in brightness and consumes less power as compared to the dominant LC technology. However, it also has limitations in switching speed that prevent it from supporting dimensional display and projection, and faces display-size scaling and yield limitations. Currently, and perhaps inherent in the technology, OLED is applicable to sizes ranging from handheld displays to about 30″ displays. OLED has the potential for fabrication on flexible substrates, but the other limitations will be expected to apply here as well. Life expectancy of less than 1000 hours and low yields can make expensive large area displays impractical.
EInk and other electrostatic image generation means are optimized for fabrication on flexible substrates, but face great limitations for acceptable color reproduction, size of the display and switching speed for dimensional display solutions.
Magneto-optic display technology, while excelling at switching speed and being relatively heat-tolerant and band-output stable, has current limitations in efficient switching at visible wavelengths for color displays, with green and blue being severely limited in net optical output. Current thin film fabrication technologies, such as LPE or RFM sputtering, being used as the basis of MO displays also pose limitations in scaling MO displays beyond computer chip or handheld display dimensions.
Given the limitations of these and other image display and projection technologies, in which integration of all pixel functionality is implemented in a single component technology type and often a single modulation material and structure type, what is needed is an image display and projection technology that can transcend the limitations of the mono-technologies in use today, and utilize the strengths of best-in-breed methods for each desired image display and projection characteristic.